Lions and Tigers
by Shweet Puffball
Summary: England has finally found India, the land of riches. But will he get more than he bargained for? Cupid does tend to stick his little nose into things. Rated M for a reason...
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own Hetalia. This is based off of a role play between my friend and I.**

**India: Kiran**

**England: Arthur**

* * *

-India's POV-

Kiran breathed in and out deeply. She sat cross legged on a carpet in front of an idol of Shita. Her hands were clapped together and her golden eyes were closed as she let her breaths fill her body. The smell of cinnamon wafted through the marble room from the burning incense. It was very calming.

Kiran's long dark hair was tied into a tight braid that ran down her back like a snake. Her bangs framed her tanned face. Strange designs of henna were painted on her hands and arms. She was dressed in a long red sari that had a gold hemming to it. Her sandals sat outside the room so that she would not mark the floor with the dirt her shoes would have picked up.

This was her favorite time of the day. The sun was at the right point that it reflected off the beautiful buildings of her city and it shown like polished silver. The waters were also a shimmering wonder that lay undisturbed. Everything just felt so peaceful.

Kiran was utterly in love with the land that she was gifted with. She could not have asked for anything better. Her people weren't ever without food, there were plenty of resources and everyone lived how they wished to. Their land was at peace thanks to the many philosophies that they followed. They were thankful for what the Gods and Goddesses had given them and would present many offerings to them. Kiran guessed that they were happy with them since nothing bad had ever happened. She was very glad to not be at war with her many older brothers.

* * *

-England's POV-

A beautiful ship cut through the shining sapphire waves of the ocean. White sails caught the wind, gleaming wood majestically sweeping through the sea, an ivory figurehead of a woman keeping watch at the front. On board the ship, men ran to and fro, climbing up and down the mast, tying and untying various ropes. The men had a variety of hair colors, and tanned skin that had all once been pale. Most were barefoot, for the sake of better traction on the wet deck.

Suddenly, a cry came from the crow's nest that froze all movement below. "Land ho!" a sailor shouted, "Land ho!" A cheer rang up, as, for a moment, everyone strained their eyes in the direction the man pointed. One crew member, the first to regain his thoughts, shouted at one younger than the rest (the cabin boy, who had been getting some fresh air) to tell the captain, and the rest sprang into action once more as the lad ran off.

Soon, the door to the below decks opened once more, and out stepped an imposing man, who was presumably the captain. Green eyes sparkled beneath alarmingly bushy blond eyebrows, and messy hair of the same color was kept out of the way by a bandana. The main difference in the man, aside from the obvious importance in the man's stature and behavior, was the quality of his clothes, which were finer than what the others wore, though was of a similar style. Behind this man stood another, with red hair, and the cabin boy.

The captain looked about at the crew for a moment, smiling in satisfaction, before looking up at the man above. "Where?" He called up. Seeing the man point, he turned that way, pulling out his own spyglass, and looking into it. A roguish grin crept up on his face as he looked. '_At last.'_

"Well, Cap'n?" his lieutenant asked.

The captain spun to face him, passing the spyglass over, predatory gleam in his eye. "We're 'ere, lads!" he called, projecting his voice loud enough that all could hear. "We've found the land o' gold n' spices, the land o' promise! India!" He savored the name as the men cheered again, tasting it. India...the name itself seemed to be filled with mystery, promise, and riches. To his crew, once they'd settled, he continued, "Come, lessee what this treasure trove looks like, eh?" He gave orders, before returning to his quarters to prepare.

India...he wondered what this country would be like. Would it be male, or female? A child, or older? To some, these may have seemed like odd questions: how can a country have a gender, or be a child? What few knew, however, was that Captain Arthur Kirkland was not, in fact, an ordinary mortal. He was really the personification of England, as strange as it seemed. He intended to take this newly discovered country, this _India_...and he was going to let nothing get in his way.

Arthur emerged on deck once more as they neared the harbor. He was now dressed much more impressively. A long red and gold coat covered a white ruffled shirt and clean brown trousers, high boots protected his feet. His hands were gloved, and a large tri-cornered hat with a feather rested on his blond head. His right eye was hidden by an eye patch, in a move calculated for intimidation, as were the various weapons he carried. He called together the crew, and gravely told them, "We 'ave some rules for this expedition, lads. No lootin' or killin'-though, I agree, it's much more fun," a wicked smile briefly lit up his face, before returning to seriousness. "An' please, do your best to be gentle-like, mannerly. We may be the first Englishmen they've seen, let's bring honor to our Queen an' our country!" Another cheer rose up, and Arthur smiled proudly. His men were the finest on the sea, and he was honored to lead them.

"Now, let's prepare to dock!"


	2. Chapter 2

-India's POV-

Kiran emerged from the golden temple, her arms full of scrolls and scriptures that she had just finished translating into other languages of her home. She took great pride in her mother's work and wanted to share the philosophies and ideas with her people.

There were other temples for different Gods and Goddesses around, but the market was not too far off either. Kiran heard the calls of merchants, the laughter of children, and the chit chat between the women. She walked through, bowing to people as a form of greeting. The streets were full of people. Men, women, and children, bustled their way through the streets. Although it seemed quite hectic, it pleased Kiran. Guards wandered about and stood at different posts to keep the peace.

Kiran continued her walk toward her home near the beach. She took a moment to look at the beautiful Indian Sea. Suddenly, something caught her attention in the distance. It appeared to be a ship, but it wasn't like anything that she had ever seen before. She wasn't sure if she was supposed to be excited or scared. The light sea breeze blew her long hair to the right of her, puffing out the cloth of her sari as well. Seeing such a thing made her wonder.

Perhaps it was China, though the vessel didn't look like his usual style. '_Perhaps he is here to boast about his newest model of ship. Though he usually travels by land and brings a miniature.'_Kiran thought to herself.

She shrugged and continued walking to her fairly large home. She proposed that the best thing to do was to put away the scrolls and hopefully hide from her neighboring nation. With any luck he wouldn't be able to find her and just go home. Kiran didn't much care about his latest and greatest inventions beyond what they traded.

After she put away the scrolls into their special cupboard and locked it up. It wasn't that she was afraid of them being stolen; she just didn't want to let any chance of animals getting in and defiling her sacred scriptures.

Kiran entered her meditation room. One thing that she actually liked about China was that he respected meditation and wouldn't disturb her when she was doing this.

Nobody interrupted her when she went into that room. Mostly because the room was almost so unbearably hot that no one wants to enter it. Kiran loved the heat. Massive bonfires circled around the room, plus the natural heat of the outside weather, it was like cooking one's self in an oven. That room was where Kiran did her yoga. The heat and the movement were just so wonderful. Plus afterwards she would have a nice long bath to cool herself.

* * *

-England's POV-

When the ship had docked, and the plank was lowered, Arthur assembled his men, and, in an orderly, almost military fashion, he and five crew members disembarked. Looking around, Arthur saw many dark-skinned people in odd clothes staring with mixed curiosity and fear. Colorful fabrics were everywhere, snatches of a strange language flying through the air. Exotic bird calls sounded from the trees, and all in all, it was a perfectly alien environment.

Purposely, Arthur strode forward, flanked by his men, stopping once on land. He scanned the growing crowd, searching for someone who might be in charge. Unable to find one, he simply raised his voice enough so all could hear, and said, "I am Sir Arthur Kirkland of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Captain of the ship _Glorianna's Pride_." Though when on his ship, he usually adopted the same method of speech as his crew, Arthur now spoke with English that sounded like something the Queen herself would speak. "I have come offering trade between our sovereign kingdom and your own land." He paused, seeing only blank stares, and frowned. "I wish to talk with your leaders," he said, speaking more slowly, enunciating his words clearly, as though to idiots. He only got more blank looks as a reward. "Look, does anyone hear speak English?"

Nothing.

"Español? ¿Alguien habla español?" he asked, growing frustrated. "Deutsch? _Française?_" He tried German, and even _French_, but only earned more stares. "Good Lord, does _anyone_here speak any civilized languages?"

Still nothing.

Barely keeping hold of his temper, he said carefully, gesturing, "You find someone who talks-talks, see?-like _me_. Now!"

Finally, perhaps coincidental, perhaps because they actually understood, or perhaps simply because Arthur frightened them, one of them ran off into the woods somewhere. Arthur sighed wearily. It was far too warm to be dealing with these people... One of the men behind him muttered to another, "Right savages, aren' they? Can' speak a word..." Arthur gave them a look to quiet them, though he agreed inwardly. Well, it would make it easier to trade-these dullards would probably accept anything he gave them, regardless of worth!

* * *

-India's POV-

After a nice session of hot yoga and a nice cool bath, Kiran dressed herself in a blue sari, though kept her hair in the same braid as before. She wondered if China had been and gone not being able to see her.

Suddenly a young boy from the village came running to her. The child wore an expression on his face told her that clearly something was wrong. Kiran no longer suspected that China was the visitor.

In very fast Hindi, the boy spluttered about white men with funny clothing and a strange language. Kiran was confused. '_White men?' _That was very strange. She followed the boy to the shore where a man, literally white, was speaking rather frustrated to her confused people.

Apanē gharōṁ mēṁ vāpasa jā'ō. Jō kucha bhī yaha hai, maiṁ isakē sātha saudā hōgā. She spoke to them in Hindi. Once the crowd dispersed, Kiran sighed and turned her attention to the new comer. She put on a polite smile, the same one she used with China, and bowed deeply to him and his men. Namastē. Welcome to India. How may I be helping you? She said in rough English with a thick accent. Kiran didn't know a lot of English, but she knew some Latin from when her mother and Rome did trading.

* * *

-England's POV-

The crowd before the Englishmen grew louder, as someone approached. A musical voice said something in that odd tongue, and then a woman moved through the group to stand in front of them.

The moment he saw her, he wanted her. The newcomer had skin like a copper statue come to life, her face angular and elegant. Almond-shaped gold eyes glittered on either side of a pretty nose, under which sat a mouth with a pair of full lips. A long, thick black braid of hair hung to her waist, and her figure (which was surely as lovely as the rest of her) was clothed in a fine robe of silk as blue as the ocean.

Arthur Kirkland was a man of many loves. Above all, he adored the sea, his ship, and anything related to them. He also loved his Queen and his people. And, although (as he often pointed out) privateering was perfectly legal, he was a pirate at heart: his other great loves were a good fight, good ale, and women. And this woman in particular...ah, he wanted her.

As such, he now smiled most charmingly, though a slightly predatory gleam was lighting his eyes. He bowed slightly, doffing his hat, and asked, "Dost thou speak English, madam?" he asked politely.

Miracle of miracles, she did! It wasn't very good English, but English it was. Arthur's smile widened. Perhaps this woman was even the Nation he sought... "Good day, madam!" he greeted, and introduced himself once more with, "I am Sir Arthur Kirkland, representative of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland," using 'of' instead of 'for' to hint at his identity, just in case she _was_ India. "My countrymen and I wish to set up trading posts in thy beautiful land, to exchange goods with her citizens. We would like to speak with a leader of thine, if we may, Miss...?"


End file.
